It’s a total loss. That’s what firefighters say of a large quonset containing semi trailers that caught fire at a dairy farm in the Osler area on Monday night.
The family who owns the farm is safe but there were approximately $2 million in damages to the six-bay building, which housed most of the farm’s equipment.
Warman Fire Chief Russ Austin is one of more than 24 from Osler, Warman, Dalmeny, and Martensville who battled the fire for more than four hours after a call came in around 9:10 p.m. CST Monday.
He said the building was totally engulfed in flames when they arrived, and the roof had already started caving in.
“You try to protect what you can,” he said.
“In that particular yard, there’s everything from bale stacks to other, it’s a dairy farm so they have lots of barns with animals in them.”
Firefighters contained the damages to only the original building. The cause of the fire is under investigation.
Neighbours pitch in to get cattle fed
Austin extended his sympathies to the family who lives on the farm.
“It’s a very unfortunate incident, unfortunate for the family and we’re sorry for their loss,” he said.
The fire incinerated feeding equipment for the farm’s dairy cattle, but Osler-area neighbours didn’t miss a beat in helping out as they came over to help them feed the animals on Tuesday morning, said Jason Pauls, Fire Chief of the Osler Fire Department.
“They’re very lucky they have good neighbours,” he said.
Source: CBC